How does an islanding solar inverter work?

Your islanding solar inverter works independently from the power grid. If there's a storm or other event that knocks out the main power grid, your solar power system will continue running and providing power to your home. We mention this because many people mistake going solar with going off-grid, but that's typically not the case.

What is solar islanding?

Solar islanding is when a home solar power system continues to generate electricity even though the grid is down. Many people would consider this a good thing, as your home still has power from your solar panels while everyone else has no power.

What happens if solar islanding isn't prevented?

Here's what could happen if solar islanding wasn’t prevented: The local grid goes down. Your grid-tied home solar power system still produces electricity. Once the panels have supplied electricity to your home, any excess energy flows back into the grid. Meanwhile, utility workers are repairing damaged power lines on the "should-be-dead" grid.

How do solar inverters work?

By creating a small “solar energy island” your solar panels can keep operating your home without the risk of adding any unexpected electricity to the grid. To achieve this effect, you need special inverters that can operate in solar inverter island mode and big, reliable batteries.

How does a solar inverter work during a power outage?

With a safe solar island system, the inverter assumes a highly complex but crucial role during a power outage: First, your inverter completely removes your home from the grid to fulfill anti-islanding requirements. Your inverter then uses a transfer switch to connect your home directly with the solar power system in island mode.

Does a solar inverter work if the grid goes down?

If the grid goes down for any reason, your solar panel system is designed to turn off automatically to ensure the safety of utility workers who might be fixing any damaged power lines. On the other hand, if you're completely off the grid, you're already on your own power island. Your islanding solar inverter works independently from the power grid.